A New Threat to the Bahrain GP

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Two severed fingers of a British businessman are obstacle to the F1 race.

If you are considering attending the 2012 Bahrain GP on 14 April, beware, the race is once again in doubt. In the last few days, a British businessman was attacked by a mob in the northern part of the Gulf state and two of his fingers were severed. He was later transferred to a local hospital, but the incident might spill over and threaten the existence of this year's Bahrain GP. This weekend Bahrainis will commemorate the first anniversary of the uprising in their state.

That, although defeated by the authorities with the help of the neighboring Saudi Arabia army forces, caused the cancellation of last year's F1 race. However Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 boss who tried and failed to reschedule the race for a later date in the previous season, was adamant all year long that the 2012 race will be held as planned. The attack on the British businessman flashed red lights in offices of the Grand Prix teams. All of them employ British workforce that makes up most of the Grand Prix team's staff and other functions in the production and broadcasting of the race.

All those people will be exposed to life, or at least, finger severance, if they go to Bahrain. Those staff members will find assistance from seven British peers who published an open letter in The Times, calling for the cancellation of the race. "We note with concern the decision by Formula One to go ahead with the race in Bahrain scheduled for April," the letter said. "The continued political crisis in Bahrain is a troubling source of instability in the Gulf region, and the lack of any move towards political reconciliation concerns those who wish to see Bahrain move in the direction of greater democratic accountability."